pacbuddies Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 As a highly positioned and highly paid employee and representative of Randy Lerner and AVFC I wonder whether the following quote by Paul Faulkner (taken from the Express and Star on 25th November 2011) has yet come back to haunt him? Faulkner said: “I think Europe sits there as a goal and this year that would be our goal – that’s what we want to try to achieve. “It’s not easy because there’s other clubs trying to do the same, but we want to do that. I believe it’s do-able this year. “We’ve got lots of ambition. The Premier League is a very, very tough league, but Villa is a great club and we should be up there challenging at the top of the league and we should be there pushing for Europe. “I really do think, if we can put a good run together, we’ve got a good squad. I think this year is one where we want to be there pushing to qualify for Europe. “Exactly where that means we’re not really clear yet, but I think that’s got to be the goal and it should always be the goal for a club like Villa.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I forgot about him talking about Europe what a complete and utter tool and to think were paying this guy vast amount of money to make big decisions at the football club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 As much as I hate McLeish, there is no way I would compare Randy to Deadly Doug. The last few years have seen the development of a state of the art training facility, the renovation of the Holte and significant investment in the squad. There ARE good players at the club, I just think they are misused and poorly coached and that cannot be levied against Randy IF he decides to take positive action. What I will say is that Faulkner comes across as clueless and I fear he has a significant say in how the club is run on a day to day basis and staff appointments. Initally Randy let ONeill effectively run the club and ONeill came close to running it into the ground. Anyone who thinks that cost cutting wasnt necessary probably believed Labours policy of "spending your way out of debt". Therefore a bean counter like Faulkner was necessary, but handing him the level of power he appears to have has contributed to a significant dip in financial and footballing performances. Its got to the stage that seeing any of Villa's three gingers grinning at me makes me want to start handing out slaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThornburyVilla Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 just to clarify the position regarding Martinez and what happened. I sat next to him at the Liverpool match, as he was scouting Liverpool for his next match. I discussed the approach to him, amongst other things, and he said he had always promised that he would stay at Wigan until the end of this season, and given how good Dave Whelan had been to him over the years he would not go back on this. He also said that he felt Villa were a massive club, with excellent players, and that we are clearly top 8 material. Him not coming to Villa was nothing to do with him not wanting to manage villa, it was just timing. He seemed a very loyal and likeable man, and i felt he would jump at the chance of managing our great club come the end of the season. I know he may not be everyone's cup of tea, but with the resources he has available at Wigan he has done a remarkable job, and with our Club and quality of players he could achieve a lot more!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HackneyVillain Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I'd like to see Roberto given a chance. The defence might not improve but we'd be a lot more entertaining to watch and might even string a few passes together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted February 14, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 14, 2012 I'd like to give him a chance too, but i think it would take a considerable amount of time for him to really put is stamp on the team and change the style of play. It wouldnt happen over-night and would likely take a couple of season for the transition to happen. I'm not sure we can give him that time to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HackneyVillain Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I understand your point but frankly after this season I just want to see some entertaining football. I could take defeat a lot easier if I thought we gave it a go and fell short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I understand your point but frankly after this season I just want to see some entertaining football. I could take defeat a lot easier if I thought we gave it a go and fell short. Couldn't agree more. At £40 a ticket I just want to enjoy the football, win lose or draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 We need to be setting the bar higher than Martinez in my honest opinion & Curbishley isn't the answer either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I'd like to give him a chance too, but i think it would take a considerable amount of time for him to really put is stamp on the team and change the style of play. It wouldnt happen over-night and would likely take a couple of season for the transition to happen. I'm not sure we can give him that time to be honest. You keep saying that but how long did it take Pardew to make his mark on Newcastle (please dont tell me thats how Hughton played!). How long did it take Roy Hodgson to put his mark on Fulham, then the baggies. Martinez created the infrastructure at Swansea, he has Wigan playing some pretty good football and I would like to see what he could do here. It would have to be the end of the season, he would need to be given free reign to refresh the squad and most importantly remove the dead wood. I think he could take the club forward significantly and if he has the ability to do that, then he would also get my patience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Martinez for me seems too comfortable in defeat. He makes a defeat almost sound credible.He goes in to depth to explain things but losing is losing which ever way you look.... we want winners with a winning mentality. not for me thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattyp_avfc Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Martinez for villa? YES PLEASE get rid of AMc asap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeps Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Realistically I can't see us getting better than RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I sat next to him at the Liverpool match, as he was scouting Liverpool for his next match. I discussed the approach to him, amongst other things, and he said he had always promised that he would stay at Wigan until the end of this season, and given how good Dave Whelan had been to him over the years he would not go back on this. He also said that he felt Villa were a massive club, with excellent players, and that we are clearly top 8 material. Him not coming to Villa was nothing to do with him not wanting to manage villa, it was just timing. Thanks for that ThornburyVilla. I had always wondered why he would not have made the change given that his chairman had seemed willing to let him talk to us and I had guessed like others it was due to our lack of a transfer budget. But having turned down the opportunity to talk once I would not see us giving him the opportunity to do it again when the job next becomes vacant and without money to spend I doubt that the likes of Lambert or Rodgers would see us as worth jumping ship for. The difficulty we found in finding someone to take the job last time suggests we would have an even more limited choice next time round as things now are at our football club particularly if we are still not willing to look beyond those with PL experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DelboyVilla Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 We need to be setting the bar higher than Martinez in my honest opinion & Curbishley isn't the answer either Who are you thinking of then? The trouble with setting the bar higher is that they will insist on a large war chest to change the squad. IMO the squad just needs stability, a game plan and some belief in themselves as the player aren't that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDuck Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Martinez seems like another Tony Mowbray. He may play the game the so-called "right" way, but he rarely wins a football match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bose Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Martinez for me seems too comfortable in defeat. He makes a defeat almost sound credible.He goes in to depth to explain things but losing is losing which ever way you look.... we want winners with a winning mentality. not for me thanks I agree with that. Too much off a nice guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DelboyVilla Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Also to be fair to PF with the squad and the wage bill we currently have a good manager could get us challenging for Europe if not through league position then certainly through the cups. Our squad is good on paper even the defence. However it is quite clear that the management are just trying to hold onto the point we start off the match with even when we play at home. It says a lot that the players who seem pissed off with AM are all attack minded and aren't been allowed to attack. I wouldn't mind but we seem defend games without pressuring the ball at all, it's just 10 men behind the ball standing watching the good teams play straight through us. For all the people worried that RL and PF may mess up the next appointment? I doubt even they could find someone worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazrim Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Why anybody is clamouring for Martinez when Rodgers and Lambert both play better, more attractive and more effective football is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honest_bertie Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Why anybody is clamouring for Martinez when Rodgers and Lambert both play better, more attractive and more effective football is beyond me. this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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